Wine Package Questions

[Sea42]

I would like to purchase one of the Sommelier Packages for an upcoming cruise. I have a few questions😁

Is there a price difference between buying it ahead of time versus onboard?

If buying ahead of time, at what point do you select the wines you would like?

If buying ahead, is it a hassle to get your mariner discount credited back to your account?

There is a list of wines available with a package on the HAL website. In your experience are those wines always available or are there usually substitutions?

Is it best to wait to purchase until you are onboard to verify what's available?

Thanks for any input!

[msmayor]

I can't answer the question about purchasing ahead vs. on board - we've always purchased on board.

 

Regardless of when you buy the package, you don't make actual wine selections until you are ready to open a bottle.  We were always given a list of available wines in the dining room (where we usually used the package) and chose 'in the moment'.  

 

I do recall one time when we made our selection, and the sommelier returned with a different bottle, telling us that our selection was out but that he thought that the wine he chose was a good substitute - it was a selection from the package above the one we bought.  Very thoughtful, and we accepted his choice.

 

Hope that helps!

[kazu]

5 minutes ago, Sea42 said:

I would like to purchase one of the Sommelier Packages for an upcoming cruise. I have a few questions😁

Is there a price difference between buying it ahead of time versus onboard?

 

No, there is not.

5 minutes ago, Sea42 said:

If buying ahead of time, at what point do you select the wines you would like?

 

You can’t.  You have to wait until you are onboard and the depending on what is available  you select either daily or you can ask for several bottles.

 

5 minutes ago, Sea42 said:

If buying ahead, is it a hassle to get your mariner discount credited back to your account?

 

No, you get a “loyalty discount” - OBC applied to your shipboard account.

5 minutes ago, Sea42 said:

There is a list of wines available with a package on the HAL website. In your experience are those wines always available or are there usually substitutions?

Is it best to wait to purchase until you are onboard to verify what's available?

Thanks for any input!

 

I now only purchase on board to see what’s available.  Not all wines are available and yes, there can be substitutions and they can be very good but I prefer to wait and see what the situation is on board.  We always buy the wine package but I learned the hard way better to do it on board than buy in advance.  JME

[kazu]

5 minutes ago, msmayor said:

Regardless of when you buy the package, you don't make actual wine selections until you are ready to open a bottle.  We were always given a list of available wines in the dining room (where we usually used the package) and chose 'in the moment'.

 

Once you are onboard, if there is a particular bottle you prefer you can ask them to save some bottles for you.  I got that tip from a wine steward a few years ago when they said they were running low and asked if we would like it reserved for a few nights.  Is there any question he got a tip 😉 

[wesport]

We were on one cruise where the chardonnay in level one was not available, but we got the chardonnay in the level two package for the entire cruise as the chardonnay in level one was not available. 

[msmayor]

11 hours ago, kazu said:

 

Once you are onboard, if there is a particular bottle you prefer you can ask them to save some bottles for you.  I got that tip from a wine steward a few years ago when they said they were running low and asked if we would like it reserved for a few nights.  Is there any question he got a tip 😉 

 

We learned that on Westerdam - I grew quite fond, very quickly, of the MacPherson Shiraz when we'd head to the Crow's Nest for trivia and pre-dinner drinks.  The bartender up there got to know me quickly, and he would pour it as soon as he saw me walk in.  Around mid-week, he told me the supply was getting low so he commandeered a few bottles for me.  

 

I will remember that for the dining room as well.  

[Sea42]

Thank you for all of the very helpful answers!